I get so many questions/concerns about bloating. “How come beans and cabbage make me gassy?” “Whenever I eat veggies, I’m so bloated!” “Do you take digestive enzymes in order to not feel uncomfortable?”

The main reason that things like beans, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, raw veggies (the list goes on) make us gassy and/or bloated is that they are packed with fiber. Fiber looooves the old waste bacteria that is laying dormant in your gut (just sitting there, ewww), and wakes it up. That’s the bloating that you’re feeling. The good news is, the fiber then latches onto that old bacteria like velcro and removes it from your body.

Before getting into my tips, please know that there is not a one-size-fits-all answer here, and some people may actually have some medical reasons why certain foods don’t agree with them. These are tools that you can take with you and see if they work for you. What works for you may not work for everyone, but here are a few simple things to take note of when eating high fiber veggies and hopefully make your experience a little more enjoyable.

1. SLOW DOWN AND CHEW YOUR FOOD.. I know I know, this seems so basic, but it is actually a major way in which we can help ourselves. The act of chewing releases digestive enzymes in your saliva that when swallowed, aid in the breaking down of these high fiber foods. More chewing = more naturally occurring digestive enzymes = easier digestion = less bloating. Bam, magic!

2. AVOID DRINKING LIQUID WHILE YOU’RE EATING. If you’re washing your salad down with a drink (any drink), it’s diluting those precious digestive enzymes that we just talked about. Instead, try to drink a big glass of water about 30 minutes before eating to really clear the pathways and set yourself up for success.

3. TAKE NOTE OF WHAT FOODS YOU’RE PAIRING TOGETHER. Sometimes it’s not the veggie itself that is causing you discomfort, it’s the fact that your veggie was eaten with something that is slower to digest. For example, eating a salad with chicken on it - The salad will digest much faster than the chicken, leaving the salad to “sit” in your stomach while your body works to process the chicken. While the salad sits, it breaks down and begins to ferment (release gasses) while waiting for your body to get through breaking down that chicken. Eating your salad first, giving yourself some time to digest, then moving on to something else might help you.

4. BONUS TIP - The more veggies you eat, the less gassy you will become. Most times, the bloating we feel is all that fiber waking up some of the old sh*t that’s lining our intestines. The fiber not only wakes it up, but latches onto it like a magnet and ushers it out of our bodies (praise be!). So the more fiber you eat, the more of that old sh*t will be taken out, and over time you’ll be less bloated.

I hope these simple tips help! Gently think about these things when you’re going about your life and see if they resonate with you. Wishing you loads of veggies and a comfy tummy!

xx

Katie